To edit drone footage on an iPhone, download the original clips to your phone with QuickTransfer in DJI Fly, then edit them in CapCut or Apple's free iMovie: trim each shot to a few seconds, add music, adjust color, slow down high-frame-rate clips, and export in 4K or 1080p. For quick fixes, the iPhone Photos app can trim, crop and adjust a single clip. DJI's LightCut app is no longer maintained, so use DJI Fly, DJI Mimo, CapCut or iMovie instead.
Step 1: get full-quality clips onto the iPhone
Open DJI Fly, connect to the drone with QuickTransfer (Wi-Fi), open the album, and download the clips you want. They save to the Photos library. Download the original file; a clip that looks soft may be DJI Fly's preview cache. Model-specific steps are in transfer photos from a DJI drone.
About LightCut: DJI's LightCut page says updates and feature maintenance ended in September 2026 and recommends DJI Mimo or DJI Fly instead. Plan new edits around another app.
Step 2: edit in CapCut
CapCut is free with optional paid features. Menu names change between updates, but the flow is:
- Tap New project and select your clips in order.
- Trim: tap a clip and drag its ends. Keep 3 to 6 seconds of the smoothest part.
- Split long clips and delete takeoffs, landings and jerky turns.
- Audio: mute the original (it's propeller noise) and add music. Use tracks you're licensed to use.
- Speed: the Speed tool's Normal setting slows or speeds a clip; Curve does speed ramps.
- Color: use Adjust (brightness, contrast, saturation, temperature) rather than heavy filters. Small changes look better on aerials.
- Ratio: choose 9:16 for Reels and TikTok, 16:9 for YouTube.
- Export: pick the resolution and frame rate before exporting. Match the frame rate you filmed at.
Or use iMovie
iMovie is free from Apple. Start a Movie project, add clips, trim, add music from your library, and adjust speed per clip. It's simpler than CapCut with fewer effects, which suits clean landscape edits.
Slow motion from drone footage
If you filmed 4K at 100fps (Mini 4 Pro) or 120fps (Mini 5 Pro), set that clip's speed to about 0.25x in a 25fps or 30fps project for smooth slow motion. Clips filmed at 24 to 30fps will stutter if slowed much.
D-Log M on a phone
Log footage looks gray until it's graded, and phone editors make that harder. For phone-only workflows, film in Normal color. If you do shoot D-Log M, you need an editor that can load .cube LUTs (some paid iPhone editors such as LumaFusion can) and DJI's free LUT for your model. See our Mini 4 Pro LUT guide.
Vertical video
For Reels and TikTok, the cleanest result comes from filming vertically. The Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro rotate their gimbals for native vertical shooting. Cropping a horizontal 4K clip to 9:16 also works, with some loss of resolution. More tips in drone video for Instagram.
Tips for better phone edits
- Free up storage first. 4K clips are large.
- Keep it short. 15 to 45 seconds suits social.
- Don't over-stabilize. Gimbal footage is already smooth; extra stabilization crops the frame.
- Back up originals before deleting them from the drone.
For a desktop workflow with more color control, see how to edit drone footage or DaVinci Resolve for drone footage. Want vertical-ready footage? Shop the DJI Mini 4 Pro or Mini 5 Pro.
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